Mr. Chair,

Thank you for this opportunity for an interactive dialogue on this important issue pertaining to special political missions. We also thank the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and the Assistant-Secretary-General for their comprehensive briefing.

It is clear that UN special political missions or SPMs continue to serve as “forward platforms for conflict prevention,” consistent with the UN Charter-based obligation to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.”

We wish to put forward the following points for today’s dialogue on special political missions:

• First, the Philippines believes that special political missions is not merely a tool for managing short-term crises, but rather an approach to sustaining peace in the long-term. Special political missions should therefore give greater attention to conflict prevention and mediation, and continue to push for inclusive participation of key stakeholders at the onset of the mission.
• Second, the Philippines supports the appointment of more women to senior leadership positions, particularly as Special Representatives and Envoys in UN Missions and Country Teams, and focused on women’s crucial role as peacekeepers, peacebuilders and mediators in unfolding narratives of war and peace.
• Third, the Philippines continues to support the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) on measures to improve SPMs’ funding and backstopping arrangements, including the establishment of a special account for SPMs by providing them with their own budgetary solution, and therefore enhancing their capacity to deliver on their mandates.
• Finally, if we want to make sustaining peace a sound strategy, robust capacity-building and adequate financial support for all activities on the peace continuum must be ensured.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.